Adjustable jib mounting for rock drills



Oct. 19, 1965 J. c. CURTIS ETAL 3,212,738

ADJUSTABLE JIB MOUNTING FOR ROCK DRILLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1963 INVENToRs: .JOHN c.cuRT|s TolMl A.PARss|NEN BY/y/za M ATTO R NEY oct. 19, 1965 J. c. cuRns Em. 3,212,738

ADJUSTABLE JIB MOUNTING FOR ROCK DRILLS BY f7/@M ATTORNEY Oct- 19, 1965 J. c. CUR-ns ETAL ADJUSTABLE JIB MOUNTING FOR ROCK DRILLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 28, 1963 INVENTORS: JOHN C.CURT|S TOIMI A.PARSSINE.N

ATTORNEY Oct. 19, 1965 J. c. CUR-ns ETAL 3,212,738

ADJUSTABLE JIB MOUNTING FOR ROCK DRILLS Filed March 28, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS: JOHN C.CURTIS TOIMI A.PARSSINEN 'Bn/95%@ M ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,212,738 ADJUSTABLE .IIB MGUNTING FOR ROCK DRILLS .lohn Clark Curtis andi Toimi A. Parssinen, Newport,

N.H., assignors to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 268,688 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-16) This invention relates to adjustable tool supports and more particularly to a crossover boom for mounting a hammer rock drill thereon.

In building modern rock drilling equipment it has become common practice to mount an elongated longitudinally feedable drilling device at the forward end of a forwardly extending elongated drill jib or boom universally adjustably mounted at its rearward end on a mobile support means such as a truck. The jib or boom being pivotable in both the horizontal and vertical planes and the drilling device being adjustable in relation thereto, it is possible to position the drilling device in a wide variety of angular positions relative to the mobile support. Such an adjustable jib mounting for rock drills is shown and described in U.S. Patent 2,791,399.

Such `devices have served the purposes for which they were designed, but have not been entirely successful in all conditions of operation for the following reasons. Since great freedom of movement in a vertical plane was a necessary attribute of such prior art mountings, the drilling device was commonly mounted to pivot about a center laterally displaced from the centerline of the jib or boom, in common practice the lateral displacement was equal to not more than twice the transverse dimension of the boom. When such lateral displacement was to the right of the boom it was impossible for the equipment to position the drilling device near the lefthand wall or rib of a cut being made in rock or mineral strata unless the operation was interrupted while the drilling equipment was repositioned on the lefthand side of the boom.

The crossover boom of the present invention as hereinafter described obviates this diiculty and provides for remotely controlled, powered, rapid repositioning of the drill equipment on either side of the boom as may be desired at different times in the drilling operation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved adjustable jib mounting for a rock drill.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved drilling device having an adjustable jib mounting supporting an elongated drill frame in such manner that the drill frame can be positioned on either side of the centerline of the adjustable jib.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved rock drill mounting wherein an adjustable jib is provided with a crossover boom normal to the centerline thereof so that a rock drill mounted on such crossover boom is adjustable transversely with relation to such adjustable jib and positionable a desired distance to either side of the centerline of the jib.

A specic object of this invention is to provide a new and improved rock drill mounting wherein a crossover boom normal to the centerline of a universally adjustable jib provides for remotely controlled transverse adjustment of an elongated drill frame from one side of such jib to a new location on the other side of the centerline of such jib.

These and other objects and advantages of the adjustable jib mounting of this invention will become more readily apparent upon further consideration of the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. l is a top plan view of the adjustable jib mounting of this invention including a fragmentary portion of 3,212,738 Patented Oct. 19, 19155 ICC a mobile support and incorporating dotted line views of portions of the jib mounting in different positions than those shown in solid line drawing;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partially sectional View of a portion of the device of FIGURE 1 taken substantially along the line 2 2 of FIGURE 5;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1 and incorporates dotted line views of a portion of the device in diiferent positions;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along line 4*-4 of FIGURE 5;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view taken substantially along the line 5 5 of FIGURE 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 4; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 4.

The improved adjustable jib mounting of this invention is herein shown associated with a mobile base although it will be evident that the adjustable support may be mounted in various other manners. It is also evident that while the drilling tool carried by the support of this invention herein assumes the form of a conventional hammer rock drill, other types of tools, such as rotary drills or wrenches may be supported thereby. In FIG- URE 1 there is shown a small portion of the forward end of a mobile base 10 supported on and rendered movable over a surface by wheels or tracks or other means of locomotion (not shown) and in turn universally pivotably supporting an elongated forwardly extending drill jib or boom 12 in a manner more completely shown and described in the above cited U.S. patent. Movement of the boom 12 in substantially horizontal planes about its universal pivotal connection with the mobile base 10 is actuated and controlled by a double acting, extensible, hydraulically actuated, swing cylinder 14 suitably supplied with suitably controlled pressure fluid from a source of pressure uid not shown. In like manner an elevating cylinder 16 actuates and controls the movement of the boom 12 in a vertical direction. (See FIGURE 3.) The forward end of the boom 12 (to the right as Seen in FIG- URE l) is provided with a transversely extending head portion 18 having a semicylindrical inner surface 19 (see FIG. 6) the axis of which is normal to a vertical plane through the centerline of the boom 12. An internally semicylindrical cap element 20 is mated with the head portion 18 and removably secured thereto as by threaded retaining elements such as cap screws 22 so that the forward portion 18 and the cap element 20 form an internal cylindrical bearing surface in which an elongated tubular support element 24 is rotatably secured in coaxial relationship with the semicylindrical surface 19. The support element 24 is prevented from axial movement with relation to the head portion 18 by a ring element 26 rigidly secured to the outer surface of the support element 24 at one end of the head portion 20 while at the other end of the head portion 20 such axial movement is prevented by one of a pair of axially spaced double eared jack mounting lugs 28, likewise rigidly secured to and extending around the outer surface of the support element 24, which are otherwise useful for a purpose to be described.

The support element 24 forms one longitudinal side of a generally rectangular rigid crossover boom 30 (see FIG. 4) comprising the support element 24, generally rectangular, longitudinally spaced end brackets 32 and 33 rigidly secured to opposite ends of the support element 24, and an elongated tubular slide element 36 rigidly removably secured in suitable bores at the forward end of the bracket members 32 and 33 and having its axis parallel to the axis of the support element 24. Anelongated bearing bore 38 in the forward end of a formed rigid sliding element 40 closely slidably receives the outer surface of the slide element 36 and forms one portion of the support for the sliding element 40 which extends transversely of the boom 30 and has a rearwardly extending portion 42 with a bearing notch 44 therein (see FIG. 6) having opposed surfaces extending parallel to the axis of the bearing bore 38. The notch 44 slidably receives a forwardly extending portion 45 of a generally rectangular, elongated, slide bar element 46 which is rigidly secured to the bracket members 32 and 33 and extends therebtween. The sliding velement 40 is thus movable along the slide elements 36 and 46 within the limits imposed by the brackets 32 and 33 at opposite ends of the boom 30.

A single acting extensible fluid actuated cylinder 48 is mounted within the support element 24 coaxial therewith and extending inwardly from the righthand end of the support element 24 as seen in FIGURE 4. The extensible cylinder 48 has a body portion 49 having a length equal to approximately one-half the length of the support element 24 and a base portion 50 rigidly removably secured to the righthand end of the support element 24 as by threaded retaining elements such as cap screws 51. A

pressure fluid connection 54 suitably communicating with a suitably controlled source of pressure fluid communicates through suitable passageways in the base portion 50 with the interior of the body portion 49 so that pressure fluid can be supplied to the extensible cylinder 48 in a manner well known in the art. The extensible cylinder 48 also comprises a piston element 52 slidably received within the body portion 49 and extensibly actuatable in the manner common to such extensible cylinders. The piston element 52 has a head end to the left as seen in FIGURE 4 with a sprocket mounting bracket 56 rigidly secured thereon, the 4bracket 56 having a sprocket or roller 58 rotatably mounted therein. A flexible tension transmitting element 'such as a chain 60 is secured to the body portion 49 and extending alongside the piston element 52 parallel thereto is trained about the sprocket 58 and extends alongside the diametrically opposite portion of the piston element 52 and alongside the body portion 49 to a sprocket or roller 62 rotatably mounted within the bracket member 32 adjacent the base portion 50 of the extensible cylinder 48. The chain 60 is trained about the sprocket 62 and making a 90 change in direction extends forwardly along the outer surface of bracket member 32 to another sprocket 64 rotatably mounted in the bracket member 32 about which sprocket 64 the chain 60 is trained and, extending inwardly of the crossover boom 30 parallel to the slide element 36, is secured to the sliding element 40 so that pressure fluid admitted to the body portion 49 through the connection 54 causing the piston element 52 to travel to the left as viewed in FIGURE 4 will apply tension to the chain 60 and cause the sliding element 40 to be moved to the right as viewed in FIGURE 4. In an entirely similar manner another extensible cylinder 66 is mounted within the slide element 36 extending inwardly therewithin and coaxial thereto from the lefthand end of the slide element 66 as viewed in FIGURE 4 and is rigidly removably secured thereto -at its base portion 67 similarly provided with a pressure fluid connection 69 communicating with a suitable source of fluid pressure rand with the interior of the extensible cylinder 66. The extensible cylinder 66 is also provided with a sprocket or roller 68 about which is trained a flexible tensioning element or chain 70 anchored at one end to the body portion of the extensible cylinder 66 and being reversibly bent about the sprocket 68 extends alongside the extensible cylinder 66 to a sprocket 71 mounted adjacent the base portion 67. The chain 70 is reversibly bent about the sprocket 71 and extends inwardly of the crossover boom 30 to a connection on the sliding element 40 at a point opposite the connection of the chain 60 therewith. Pressure uid supplied to the connection 69 and communicated to the interior of the extensible cylinder 66through the base portion 67 will cause extension of the extensible cylinder 66 to the right as seen in FIGURE 4 applying tension to the chain 70 which results in motion of the sliding element 40 to the left as seen in FIGURE 4 which motion transmitted through the chain 60 causes retraction of the extensible cylinder 48 in a manner well known in the art.

The sliding element 40 has a substantially cylindrical central portion 41 having an axis normal to the plane of the axes of the support element 24 and the slide element 36 with a bore 43 extending through the central portion 41 coaxial therewith. An elongated, headed, cylindrical pin 72 is closely rotatably received by the bore 43 and extends through upper and lower bracket portions 73 and 74, respectively (see FIGURE 6) of an elongated drill mounting frame generally indicated at and best seen in FIGURE 2 so that the bracket portions 73 and 74 straddle the central portion 41 and the frame 80 is rotatably mounted on the sliding element 40. The sliding element 40 also has a bracket portion 39 (see FIG. 7) extending outwardly from the central portion 41 along ra line substantially parallel to the axes of the support element 24 and the slide element 36. The rod end 7S of a double acting extensible lluid actuated cylinder 76 is pivotally secured in the bracket 39 (see FIG. 2) while the head end of the extensible cylinder 76 is pivotally secured to a laterally extending bracket portion 81 of the mounting frame 80. The cylinder 76 is suitably connected at its ends to a suitable source of pressure fluid and is extended and retracted thereby in the usual manner to provide for swinging the frame 80 about the axis of the pin 72.

A plurality of suitable clamping elements 82 and positioning lugs 83 is provided on the frame 80 so that a suitable elongated drill guide frame 86 (see FIGURE 3) is rigidly removably secured to the upper surface of the drill mounting frame 80. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 a hammer drill 88 of a type well known in the art is slidably mounted on the guide frame 86 for forward and backward feed motion controlled by a suitable feed mechanism (not shown) as is known.

A double acting, uid actuated extensible cylinder 90 (see FIGURE 3) is pivotally connected at its rod end to an upwardly extending portion Iof the double eared jack lugs 28 and at its head end is pivotally connected to a downwardly extended lug portion 92 of the forward end of the boom 12. The cylinder 90 is suitably connected at both ends to a suitable source of fluid pressure to that vactivation of the cylinder 90 in the direction to reduce its length acting through the lugs 28 causes a rotation of the crossoverY boom 30 about the axis of the support element 36 causing the forward end of the drill 88 to be pointed in an upward direction. In like manner activation of the extensible cylinder 90 to increase its length causes a rotation of the crossover boom 30 in the direction to cause the forward end of the drill 88 to point in a downward direction.

Operation of the device of this invention will hereinafter be described as related to known techniques of drilling and blasting in the development of an elongated relatively narrow tunnel or passageway in rock strata or a mineral vein having a substantially vertical working face indicated at 94 and side walls or ribs indicated at 96 and 97 being righthand and lefthand ribs, respectively, in relation to the direction in which the machine will progress as the passageway is further developed. It is to be realized that the directions right, left, up, down, forward and reverse, are used in this description for purposes of clarity only and are not to be taken as limiting upon this invention. In FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the working face 94 terminates upwardly in a substantially horizontal ceiling surface 98 and downwardly in a substantially horizontal floor surface 99. In developing such a passageway it is necessary to drill holes in the mineral vein or rock strata at a number of different locations on the working face 94 as is known. When drilling near the center of the working face 94 the boom 12, the crossover boom 30 and the drill mounting frame 80 can be in the relatively adjusted positions as shown solid in FIGURES 1 and 3. To drill a hole somewhat to the right of this position pressure liuid is admitted to the extensible cylinder 66 causing its piston to move outwardly from its cylinder portion and acting through the sprocket and chain arrangement move the sliding element 40 to the right bringing the guide frame 86 into a new position shown in dotted outline in FIGURE l and indicated as 86. When the guide frame reaches its new position the desired hole can then be drilled with no necessity for moving the boom 12 or the crossover boom 30. To drill holes near the rib 96 at the extreme right of the passageway the boom 12 is swung to the right until the crossover boom takes the position shown dotted in FIGURE l and indicated as 30. While the boom 12 is swinging to the right pressure fluid admitted to the rod end of the cylinder 76 effectively shortens the cylinder 76 causing the guide frame 86 to be pivoted about the axis of the pin 72 whereby its position normal to the face 94 is maintained. To drill holes adjacent the rib 97 at the lefthand side of the passageway the boom 12 is swung to the left carrying the crossover boom into the dotted line position indicated as 30 in FIGURE l and pressure fluid is admitted to the extensible cylinder 48 causing it to be effectively lengthened and acting through the chain 60 and the sprockets 58, 62 and 64 moves the sliding element 40 to the lefthand end of the crossover frame 30 so that the guide frame 86 can be positioned as shown in broken outline in FIGURE 1 and indicated as 86". Pressure fluid admitted to the head end of the extensible cylinder 76 increases its effective length and rotating the guide frame 86 about the axis of the pin 72 maintains the normal position with respect to the working face 94. It is to be noted that with the crossover boom 30 of this invention it is possible to drill holes relatively close to either the lefthand or the righthand rib without making any manual adjustments to the drill mounting or the crossover boom. FIGURE 3 similarly shows vertical adjustment of the crossover boom 30 with the apparatus shown dotted in an upwardly adjusted position of the hammer drill indicated as 88' and in a downwardly adjusted position of the hammer drill shown dotted and indicated as 88". In going to the higher position 88 the boom 12 is raised into an upwardly slanting position in a well known manner and while the boom is being raised pressure fluid admitted to the head end of the cylinder 90 increases the effective length of the cylinder 90 to maintain the hammer drill 88' in a position substantially parallel to the ceiling surface 9S. In the raised position just described it is Iof course possible to activate the cylinders 48 and 66 and cause the sliding element 40 to travel along the crossover boom 30 in either righthand or lefthand direction as is desired. To achieve the lowered position indicated as 88" the boom is pivoted into a downwardly slanting position and pressure fluid admitted to the rod end of the cylinder 90 causes its effective length to be reduced again maintaining the position of the guide frame 86 parallel to the ceiling surface 98 as it approaches the oor surface 99 still having the possibility of activating the cylinders 48 and 66 to cause the sliding element 40 to travel along the crossover boom 30 in either direction as desired.

Many more positions of the drill 88' relative to the working face 94 are of course possible with the device of this invention so that holes slanting upwardly or downwardly or to the right or left can be produced without any necessity for manual adjustment of the elements of this device. It is to be particularly noted that by the application of powered movement to the sliding element 40 enabling it to be moved along the crossover boom 30 from one side of the boom 12 to the other side this machine with single boom is enabled to drill close to the rib on either side of the passageway being developed.

It is further to be noted that controlled stable positioning of the guide frame 86 is achieved through the use of extensible cylinders so that there is no necessity for depending upon manually tightened clamps which may be loosened by vibration and which in any case intefere with the movement of the drill along a crossover boom until they are loosened and thus rendered inoperative to stabilize the position of the drill frame.

A preferred embodiment of the principles of this invention having been hereinabove described and illustrated it is to be realized that variations in design may be applied without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this invention. It is therefore respectfully requested that this invention be interpreted as broadly as possible and be limited only by the prior art.

We claim:

1. A drill mounting comprising: a boom structure having a first elongated boom and a second elongated lboom transversely disposed with respect to said first boom, said first boom being pivotably secured at a location adjacent one end thereof to a portion of said second boom intermediate the ends of said second boom, said second boom being pivotable about an axis normal to the longitudinal centerline of said first boom, drill support means mounted on said second boom for longitudinal movement therealong, means carried by said boom structure and cooperable with said drill support means to move said drill support means along said second boom from a location aligned with the longitudinal centerline of said first boom to locations respectively transversely remote from said centerline in opposite directions therefrom and to selectively locate said drill support means along said second boom, a drill guide frame pivotably mounted on said drill support means, said guide frame being pivotable about an axis normal to the longitudinal centerline of said second boom, and selectively operable means for effecting said pivoting of said guide frame with respect to said drill support means.

2. A drill mounting comprising: a boom structure having a first elongated boom and a second elongated boom transversely disposed with respect to said first boom, said first boom being .pivotably secured at a location adjacent one end thereof to a portion of said second boom intermediate the ends of said second boom, said second boom being pivotable about an axis normal to the longitudinal centerline of said first boom, actuating means for effecting said pivoting of said second boom with respect to said first boom, drill support means mounted on said second boom for longitudinal movement therealong, means carried by said boom structure and cooperable with said drill support means to move said drill support means along said second boom from a location aligned with the longitudinal centerline of said first boom to locations respectively transversely remote from said centerline in opposite directions therefrom and to selectively locate said drill support means along said second boom, a drill guide frame pivotably mounted on said drill support means, said guide frame being pivotable about an axis normal to the longitudinal centerline of said second boom, and selectively operable means for effecting said pivoting of said guide frame with respect to said drill support means.

3. A drill mounting comprising: an elongated universally adjustable jib boom having a pivotably supported end and a free end, an elongated crossover boom structure pivotally secured to the free end of said jib boom, said crossover boom structure having a transverse centerline in a vertical plane containing the longitudinal centerline of said jib boom, said crossover boom having a longitudinal centerline normal to said vertical plane, means for pivotally adjusting said crossover boom relative to said jib boom, sliding means slidably mounted on said crossover hoorn for longitudinal movement along said crossover boom, first drive means cooperable with said sliding means for providing such longitudinal movement, frame means pivotably mounted on said sliding means,

second drive means for pivotably adjusting said Vframe means relative to said crossover boom, said frame means providing a mounting for a drill.

4. A drill mounting comprising: a boom structure having a first elongated boom and a second elongated boom transversely disposed With respect to said rst boom, said first boom being pivotably secured at a location adjacent one end thereof to a portion of said second boom intermediate the ends of said second boom, said second boom being pivotable about an axis normal to the longitudinal centerline of said rst boom, drill support means mounted on said second boom for longitudinal movement therealong, means carried =by said boom structure and cooperable with said drill support means to move said drill support means along said second boom from a location aligned with the longitudinal centerline of said rst boom to locations respectively transverselyY remote from said centerline in opposite directions therefrom and to selectively locate said drill support means along said second boom, a drill guide frame pivotably mounted on said drill support means, said guide frame being PiVOable about an axis normal to the longitudinal centerline of said second boom, and selectively operable means connected between said guide frame and said drill support means to pivot said guide frame with respect to said drill support means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS f CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DRILL MOUNTING COMPRISING: A BOOM STRUCTURE HAVING A FIRST ELONGATED BOOM AND A SECOND ELONGATED BOOM TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST BOOM, SAID FIRST BOOM BEING PIVOTABLY SECURED AT A LOCATION ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF TO A PORTION OF SAID SECOND BOOM INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID SECOND BOOM, SAID SECOND BOOM BEING PIVOTABLE ABOUT AN AXIS NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF SAID FIRST BOOM, DRILL SUPPORT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND BOOM FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT THEREALONG, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BOOM STRUCTURE AND COOPERABLE WITH SAID DRILL SUPPORT MEANS TO MOVE SAID DRILL SUPPORT MEANS ALONG SAID SECOND BOOM FROM A LOCATION ALIGNED WITH THE LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF SAID FIRST BOOM TO LOCATIONS RESPECTIVELY TRANSVERSELY REMOTE FROM SAID CENTERLINNE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS THEREFROM AND TO SELECTIVELY LOCATE SAID DRILL SUPPORT MEANS ALONG SAID SECOND BOOM, A DRILL GUIDE FRAME PIVOTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID DRILL SUPPORT MEANS, SAID GUIDE FRAME BEING PIVOTABLE ABOUT AN AXIS NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF SAID SECOND BOOM, AND SELECTIVELY OPERABLE MEANS FOR EFFECTING SAID PIVOTING OF SAID GUIDE FRAME WITH RESPECT TO SAID DRILL SUPPORT MEANS. 